OCONTO, WI (WTAQ) — A new bill that would further ban strip searches in schools across Wisconsin is being introduced by several local Republican state lawmakers.
Oconto State Representivie Elijah Benhke’s district is close to where an incident earlier this year drew attention to the issue: the former Superintendent of the Suring School District stripped four female students to their underwear in an effort to locate vape pens.
“That violated those kids dignity, lets just say that,” Behnke told WTAQ. “It’s just ridiculous. I’m a 1983 baby, right? I’m not that old. In my upbringing the teachers would just call the parents and they would rectify my bad behavior with whatever they decided to do.”
The bill would only allow strip searches under certain circumstances.
“If they’re a suspicion of a knife, gun, or bomb, then you can strip search,” Behnke explained. “But if there’s no lethal threat, you can’t strip them down to their underwear.”
Behnke anticipates that the bill will draw bipartisan support once it gets through committee.
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